Thank You
by Set.Me.Free.123
Summary: Fang wants to help Max escape the ghosts of her pasts and the uncertainty of her future. there's a few problems. One: he doesn't know how to help! Two: how things turn out could very well hurt others in the flock. Songfic. MaxFang.
1. Shane

A/N: This is my first songfic! YAY! And my first fanfic...and my first story on wow...a lot of firsts there. Anyhow, this just sort of came to me when I was listening to my Simple Plan CD (Still Not Getting Any…). The band is awesome, by the way! If you've never heard them, I thoroughly encourage you to listen to one of their songs. Well, without further ado…I give you all, "Thank You". R&R Please! Reviwes make me happy! D

Disclaimer: I do not own James Patterson's Maximum Ride.

Other Disclaimer: Lyrics by Simple Plan. I do not own the song "Thank You".

"_Thank You"_

I sighed. The flock looked at me expectantly. I sighed again. Wait. I was the leader. Why was _I_ on the spot? They couldn't do this to me. Could they?

We had wandered into a small café; the smell of warm coffee was very alluring in the morning's bitter cold. I don't know how, but eventually our quiet conversation turned to the School. We reminisced about ugly days, as well as good days (which really weren't that good, but, hey, when you're stuck in a lab for mutant children, any day without tests is a good one). Somehow the topics turned to what we did in our time alone with each other, or, as alone as you can get with cameras and recorders placed all around the room. We used to talk through the bars of our cages, and it wasn't only us. We talked to the others too. The not-so-lucky ones. The failures. A couple of us were even _friends_ with some of them. But it always ended in heartbreak and grief. Friends are hard to lose, and losing them because they're spliced DNA unraveled, well, you get the picture.

So, anyway, Fang had decided to ask me about the human who was in the cage next to me. We always talked, hardly ever letting someone else into the conversation. It could just be me overanalyzing things, but I swear Fang always seemed, if only a little bit, jealous of the guy, though I would never even guess as to the reason why.

He was all human. In other words, no spliced genes. One of the luckiest. For a while, at least. He was one of my best friends. The others being Fang and Iggy, of course. I even had a bit of a crush on him, to be perfectly honest. It was hard to lose him—too hard. Even harder because he wasn't really dead, just unreachable.

_I thought that I could always count on you,  
I thought that nothing could become between us two.  
We said as long as we would stick together,  
We'd be alright,  
We'd be ok._

We made so manypacts thatwe'd always be friends. For ever and ever. Apparently, forever is shorter than it used to be.

"Max?" Fang asked.

"Yeah?" I answered, only half paying attention.

"So…?" he began. I sighed for the third time in, like, what, a minute?

"Yeah, okay," I answered, "Shane was my friend—well, I guess we were best friends. Maybe even more…" I added as an after-thought. Fang fell silent at that, looking down at the table with great interest.

"More? Like…ew," Gazzy clarified. I shrugged and cast my eyes downward, allowing my once-again long hair to fall in front of my face.

"What happened to him?" asked my little Angel cautiously. She probably already knew, from reading my mind and such, but she wanted the others to know too. I supposed she was right.

_  
But I was stupid  
And you broke me down  
I'll never be the same again._

"He—he…betrayed me, I guess. Even though i know it wasn't his fault or anything. We could never be friends again. After—after what they did to him."

"What did they do?" asked the ever-talkative Nudge.

"Eraserfied," I answered sadly. The flock gasped, even Fang.

"What? Really?" Nudge's astonished tone made me smile a bit. I swept my hair back behind my ears and looked up at her.

"Really."

"God, Max, I—I'm so sorry! That must have been horrible!" Gazzy whispered.

"Yeah, well, that wasn't the worst part," I breathed out. The flock stayed silent, expecting me to continue. I did.

"They made us fight. And he won."_  
_

_  
So thank you for showing me,  
That best friends can not be trusted,  
And thank you for lying to me,  
Your friendship and good times we had you can have them back _

More gasps.

"Did he hurt you?" That was Fang. _Finally,_ I thought. I was beginning to wonder if he was even still alive over there.

"Yeah. In more than one way, too."

_  
I wonder why it always has to hurt,  
For every lesson that you have to learn.  
I won't forget what you did to me,  
How you showed me things,  
I wish I'd never seen.  
But I was stupid,  
And you broke me down,  
I'll never be the same again._

"What did he do?" Nudge asked innocently. She just didn't seem to get it, did she? I could practically feel Fang glaring at her from my side. A single tear rolled down my cheek. Gazzy gawked at me, and Fang, seeing him staring, looked over with round, concerned eyes. They were pained somehow, but they made me feel safe. He brought his hand up, hesitantly, and brushed the tear off my face. Then he smiled at me—a genuine Fang smile—reminding me of Shane's crooked grin. Another tear came down from my eye. Why was I being such a weenie? It was so long ago..._  
__  
So thank you for showing me,  
That best friends can not be trusted,  
And thank you for lying to me,  
Your friendship the good times we had you can have them back  
_

Fang's smile disappeared instantaneously, and he brought his thumb up again. Wiping my tears carefully, he leaned in close to me.

"You okay, Max?" he asked, his breath ragged against my skin. I smiled, a tiny smile that was hardly noticeable to anyone but him.

"No. But I will be. If you promise me something—please," I practicalybegged him. I knew that i sounded weak, but I had to do this. Had to put that ghost out of my mind.

"Anything," he answered immediately. And, believe me, I could tell that he meant _anything._ Good thing what I wanted wasn't so huge.

"Next time we see him…help me—help me take. Him. Down." Fang smiled again. Twice in a few minutes. That was more than I'd seen him smile in four-teen years.

"Will do," he answered happily. And then, without warning, he leaned in the last couple of inches and kissed me. Right on the lips.

_  
When the tables turn again,  
You'll remember me my friend,  
You'll be wishing I was there for you.  
I'll be the one you'll miss the most,  
But you'll only find my ghost.  
As time goes by,  
You'll wonder why,  
You're all alone._

I kissed him back, totally surprised by what was happening but too happily dizzy to care. Finally, after what seemed like eternity, we broke apart and just sat there, smiling at each other. The flock gaped at us, but I didn't care. We could deal with them later. All that mattered was that Fang had managed to put Shane out of my mind—and into a place where he could never haunt me again. Because now I had Fang; I didn't need a back-stabbing Eraser friend. _  
_

_  
So thank you for showing me,  
That best friends can not be trusted,  
And thank you for lying to me,  
Your friendship and good times we had you can have them back.  
_

_  
So thank you, for lying to me,  
So thank you, for all the times you let me down  
So thank you, for lying to me,  
So thank you, your friendship you can have it back_


	2. How Can I Help You?

A/N: Hey everyone!

Thanks to:

Yascarocks

filmmakersdream

Anony 0

and...

non merseful angel

for reviewing! You guys ROCK MY...uh...SOCK!

Well, thanks to you guys,I decided to crank out another chappie! But, honestly, I like writing sonfics...and I'm a Fax fanatic, so...you do the math. Anywho, I thought I'd try something new and different! Fang's POV! YAY! Let me know if anyone seems OOC, and tell me what you think of Fang's POV! The song for this chappie is "The Remedy", by Jason Mraz. Great song too! Well, here y'all go! Chappie Two of "Thank You"! R&R!

Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride. If you want to talk to the owner, call James Patterson.

Disclaimer #2: I do not own the lyrics to "The Remedy". Call Jason Mraz.

_How Can I Help You?_

I was sitting on the edge of the hill above the freeway, looking down at the few midnight cars passing by. The bright glare of the headlights came into and out of the scene as the engines roared and faded into the darkness once more. Like fireworks. A glittery haze accompanied by a loud boom. The sparkling missiles always reminded me of Max. I almost chuckled. Max. Being the great, unshakable, mutant-girl she is, had to choose the best day for her birthday. The fourth of July. Independence Day. Well, she certainly achieved her independence, if nothing else.

_I saw fireworks from the freeway  
And behind closed eyes I cannot make them go away  
'Cause you were born on the fourth of July, freedom ring_

Max. She was the whole reason I came here. I just needed to get away, so I could think. About her. About _us._ But, not only that. I needed to get away from the flock. Their stares, Iggy's constant jabs at the way I had kissed her…

It was all too much. Max wouldn't look at me; she was probably too embarrassed. I could feel Angel probing at my mind constantly, and I was sure that Gazzy was jotting down everything she found for future blackmail reference. Nudge just talked non-stop, not that that was anything unusual, but usually she wasn't talking about me. Let alone about me showing _emotion. _And not any old emotion, either. Feelings…for my _best friend._ How messed up was I?

_  
Now something on the surface it stings  
I said something on the surface  
Well it kind of makes me nervous_

Why did I kiss her? Oh, yeah. To make her feel better. To hopefully dry her tears. I couldn't stand to see Max cry. Whenever she lost it enough to shed even one tear, you knew that something's upset her in a big way. Think the death of a house plant vs. the murder of your parents.

_  
Who says that you deserve this  
And what kind of god would serve this? _

Some small, twisted, part of me was glad that that Shane guy had been Eraserfied, because, truth be told, I _had_ felt a spark of jealousy when Max spent all her time talking to him. Okay. Maybe more than a spark. But I would never admit that, ever, and if anyone found out I would just deny it. Fervently.

The rest of me felt disgusted at myself for even thinking about that. How could I wish pain upon Max? But, still, it had felt good to comfort her, and that little part of me that had gotten jealous of Shane at the School, and Sam back at Anne's, kind of liked it that I had become the only guy in her life that could wipe away her tears. When Erasers, fear, and uncertainty surrounded us like a black plague, I was the one Max came to for the cure. _I_ was the one who helped her. And I was glad of it.

_  
We will cure this dirty old disease  
If you've got the poison I've got the remedy  
_

Sometimes it wasn't enough. Sometimes _I_ wasn't enough. I hardly ever talked, and I kept my emotions bottled up. Sometimes she needed more than I could give her. And, thus, our relationship was precarious. Rocky. If I told anyone who knew me, besides Max, of course, that I was going to try and show my feelings a bit more, they would laugh at me. They would look at me and see the same expression they always see, and they would think I was kidding. Max—Max would see the hard set of my jaw, and she would know I was dead serious._  
_

_  
The remedy is the experience.  
This is a dangerous liaison  
I say the comedy is that it's serious.  
This is a strange enough new play on words_

It's strange. I think that she often thinks that she does nothing for me, that I'm always the one to comfort her, not the other way around. God, if only she knew. Just feeling her presence lightens my mood and calms my troubles. Her worries delve deeper than even my most comforting words, and they last much longer after everyone else has fallen asleep. I understand, but I don't know how to help.

_I say the tragedy is how you're gonna spend  
The rest of your nights with the light on_

I stood up suddenly, all at once realizing my stupidity. What was I doing watching cars pass by on a highway when I _should_ be back with the flock. With Max. _Maybe I _do_ know a way to help,_ I thought. Even if I still didn't, I was determined to find one. For the flock. For my sanity. For Max.

So shine the light on all of your friends  
When it all amounts to nothing in the end.

_  
I won't worry my life away.  
_

_  
I won't worry my life away.  
_

I landed almost silently back at the cabin we had, somewhat forcefully, claimed as our own not two nights ago. It was perfect: far enough from town to be secluded, yet close enough to be convenient. An asylum with accessibility.

Brushing my dark hair out of my eyes and folding my wings behind me, I cautiously stepped in through the door. No one was in the entryway or kitchen, but I could hear the clear tone of argument coming from the dining room.

"So what if there're Erasers? We can take 'em!" I heard Gazzy shout defiantly. I shook my head, practically seeing Max sigh and purse her lips in my head.

"Gazzy," she began calmly, but was cut off.

"Max, I think Gazzy has a point. I mean, we have to go back. Or else, how do we save or destroy anything?" That was Iggy. I couldn't help but suppress a chuckle. They sounded like bloody politicians, or radio show hosts, at least.

"I don't know, Ig. I just don't know," Max said wearily. The clanking of dishes could be heard as she gathered the flock's empty plates. _I wonder why dinner was so late?_ Oh. _Duh._ They were probably waiting for me.

"We're just supposed to _last_, remember? Right, Angel?" Nudge's voice jolted me from my thoughts. I could almost hear Angel's proud smile.

"Right," she answered.

"I'm sure Ari will agree to _that._" I heard Max mutter under her breath.

I heard two men talking on the radio  
In a cross fire kind of reality show  
Uncovering the ways to plan the next big attack  
They were counting down the ways to stab  
The brother in the be right back after this

Max's footsteps echoed in the now-silent cabin as she padded out of the dining room and into the kitchen, only to jump and almost drop all of the dishes when she saw me.

"Oh God, Fang. You scared me half to death," she said, laughing a bit. I didn't say anything. I just stared at her. She looked so weary, defeated. It hurt me to see her like this: worn-out, exhausted. _How can I help you?_ I asked silently.

"Fang? Hey, Fang! You still with me?" She was right in front of me. A few inches away. Distantly, I registered the sound of laughter and TV. The flock was watching cartoons, most likely.

"Yeah. I'm here, Max. I always am…" I trailed off, unsure how to continue. _How, Max? How can I help you? Can I erase the past? Can I tame the future?_

"What can I do?" I asked desperately. Max was looking at me as if I was something from another planet. Foreign and intriguing.

"Uh…Fang? What are you talking about?" My stomach dropped. _Did I just say that aloud?_ I thought fearfully. Judging by Max's face, that would be a yes. _Great job, _I scolded myself. I mean, jeez. How much of an idiot could I be?

"Just…uh…nothing. Nothing," I affirmed, hoping she wouldn't see through my lies like I always saw through hers. She seemed skeptical, but passed it by as one of my personality quirks and decided not to pursue the matter.

"So," she began, "How was your time alone?" I smiled. Now _that_ was a good question.

"Good. Lots of room to think." She nodded in understanding.

"Yeah." I was looking at her again, staring. _How can I help the invincible Maximum Ride? _I wondered. Then it hit me. How could I have been so...so forgetful? It had helped earlier; it sure as hell would help now. I hoped.

Leaning in without any prior warning, I planted my lips on hers. For a second we just stood awkwardly like that, then, I got up enough courage to wrap my arms around her waist and pull her closer, just as she wound her hands behind my neck. When we pulled apart, I didn't let go of her. Instead, I let my hands fall to rest on her hips, so we stood only a few inches apart, swaying gently, almost like a dance, just staring into each other's eyes. Her toffee-brown irises gazed at me in wonder. It was perfect.

_  
The unavoidable kiss, where the minty fresh  
Death breath is sure to outlast this catastrophe  
Dance with me, because if you've got the poison,  
I've got the remedy  
_

_  
The remedy is the experience.  
This is a dangerous liaison  
I say the comedy is that it's serious.  
This is a strange enough new play on words  
I say the tragedy is how you're gonna spend  
The rest of your nights with the light on  
So shine the light on all of your friends  
When it all amounts to nothing in the end._

It was even more perfect than earlier today, when I had wiped away her tears, because finally, _finally, _I had realized the all-important lesson that had been screaming to be learned. You've got to take your time and appreciate the happy moments in life. And, you can't worry your life away.

_  
I won't worry my life away.  
_

_  
I won't worry my life away._

_  
When I fall in love I take my time  
There's no need to hurry when I'm making up my mind_

Maybe I loved Max, maybe I didn't. I honestly didn't know. But I wasn't about to give up being with her just because I hadn't made a decision yet.

_  
You can turn off the sun but I'm still gonna shine and I'll tell you why  
_

_  
Because  
_

_  
The remedy is the experience.  
This is a dangerous liaison  
I say the comedy is that it's serious.  
This is a strange enough new play on words  
I say the tragedy is how you're gonna spend  
The rest of your nights with the light on  
So shine the light on all of your friends  
When it all amounts to nothing in the end.  
_

_  
I won't worry my life away._

I couldn't help but smile again. Here I was, making one of the biggest revelations of my life, with my gorgeous best friend in my arms. My gorgeous, incredible, indescribable, Maximum Ride. Tilting my head so that my mouth was level with her ear, I whispered, "Max, promise me you won't worry your life away." I felt her nuzzle closer to me in response, scarcely knowing the power of her tiny promise.

A/N (#2): I'm allowed two of these, right? D Well, just as an update: Chapter Three should hopefully be up within the next couple of days. It's in Iggy's POV! I was thinking...why not make six chappies, each with a different POV? Er...I guess we would need seven then, huh? "Cause of Total...hmmm...Anyway...here's another reminder: R&R!


	3. The Younger Brother

**A/N: Okay...hey (once again)! I've got...Chapter Three (in Iggy's POV) here for you all! YAY! and before Monday! the song is "Sugar, We're Going Down", by Fall Out Boy (love 'em! As you probably guessed...). Anyhow...let me know what you think! I don't want to give away anything...so I'm not going to ask you 'till the very end, 'kay? Thanks to everyone who reviewed Chapter Two!**

**Yascarocks**

**Lessien-Elensar **

**x Step On Me x**

**Ashley-Lampost**

**filmmakersdream**

**You guys are rockin'!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride. I know, it makes me sad too.**

**Disclaimer Numero Dos: I do not own "Sugar, We're Going Down". Fall Out Boy does. I wished I owed them...swoons**

I could hear them over the cartoons, from the living room. It's not that they were loud or anything; I just have better hearing than the rest of the flock, who in turn have better hearing than full humans. So, that being said, I got the pleasure (yeah, right) of hearing every word the lovebirds, emphasis on birds, said to each other. Not that they said much. But, their feelings were radiating off them. I don't think _they_ felt it as much as I did though. I could hear how much he cared for her in his voice, even if he was careful to conceal his feelings.

"Yeah. I'm here, Max. I always am…" he said. _I'm sure you are, _I thought bitterly. Then, sighing, I whispered, "I just wish it was me."

_Am I more than you bargained for yet  
I've been dying to tell you anything you want to hear  
Cause that's just who I am this week  
Lie in the grass, next to the mausoleum  
I'm just a notch in your bedpost  
But you're just a line in a song  
_

I was nothing to her. Correction: I was her _brother._ Her _younger_ brother. I was about as much on her radar as a jar of peanut butter.

"What can I do?" I heard Fang ask breathlessly. _You can give her someone she deserves. Someone who will at least share how he feels. Someone she can actually _talk_ to, _I hissed silently. _  
__  
Drop a heart, break a name  
We're always sleeping in, and sleeping for the wrong team_

Wait…what was wrong with me? Why was I feeling this way? I didn't—no. I couldn't. However much I said she deserved better, I couldn't take Max from Fang. It would kill him. And he was my best friend, my brother. I couldn't. But, Max…I didn't like her, did I?

We're going down, down in an earlier round  
And Sugar, we're going down swinging  
I'll be your number one with a bullet  
A loaded God complex, cock it and pull it

Cautiously, I got up off the couch, ignoring the questions pointed at me. I tip-toed silently to the kitchen, and Max and Fang's voices became steadily louder.

"So." I heard Max begin to speak and stopped walking. What was she saying?

"How was your time alone?" Oh. Maybe I was over-reacting. It didn't sound like anything was going on between them. _Why should I even care?_

"Good. Lots of room to think," Fang answered casually.

"Yeah." Max again. God, how I loved her voice. It was so smooth, so comforting, so—_stop it, Iggy! _I snapped to myself. I could hear that they were close to each other. Too close. And then, oh man, they were kissing. _Kissing._ Again. Oh God.

_Is this more than you bargained for yet  
Oh don't mind me I'm watching you two from the closet  
Wishing to be the friction in your jeans  
Isn't it messed up how I'm just dying to be him  
I'm just a notch in your bedpost  
But you're just a line in a song _

Drop a heart, break a name  
We're always sleeping in, and sleeping for the wrong team

I stood as still as stone, my ears pricked. I could hear the smacking sounds for a while to come, and when they finally stopped, I could still feel their closeness. I even fancied that I could see them for a second, holding each other close, looking dreamily into each other's eyes.

"Max." I heard Fang whisper, almost inaudibly.

"Promise me you won't worry your life away," he breathed. She didn't reply, but I could feel that they were even closer, and I could feel the warmth of her embrace, almost as if it was me who she was hugging, not Fang. Those tiny gestures were answer enough. To Max, Fang was the only one worth being with. The only option. The _best_ option. But, maybe that wasn't so bad after all. His words had stunned me, to put it bluntly. Strange, but they made sense. Maybe Max didn't understand them, but I did. I couldn't explain them, but I could understand. Fang understood, too. Maybe there wasn't anyone better for Max than Fang. If Fang could explain to her what we both already knew, do what I couldn't, then maybe, just maybe, I could shake my feelings for Max. Maybe I could stand to see, well, hear, them together. If I was nothing to her, I could make her nothing to me, too.

_  
We're going down, down in an earlier round  
And Sugar, we're going down swinging  
I'll be your number one with a bullet  
A loaded God complex, cock it and pull it _

Down, down in an earlier round  
And Sugar, we're going down swinging  
I'll be your number one with a bullet  
A loaded God complex, cock it and pull it

_  
We're going down, down in an earlier round (Take aim at myself)  
And Sugar, we're going down swinging (Take back what you said)  
I'll be your number one with a bullet (Take aim at myself)  
A loaded God complex, cock it and pull it  
_

_We're going down, down (down, down)  
Down, down (down, down)  
We're going down, down (down, down)  
A loaded God complex, cock it and pull it _

We're going down, down in an earlier round (Take aim at myself)  
And Sugar, we're going down swinging (Take back what you said)  
I'll be your number one with a bullet (Take aim at myself)  
A loaded God complex, cock it and pull it

**A/N #2: Now...what do you think? This had a little one-sided IggyMax-ness in it...but it won't last, don't worry. I'm still a Fax-shipper. By the way, what _do_ you call IggyMax? Miggy? Iax? I don't know. Back to the point: as always, review! Tell me if anyone seems OOC or...whatever you wanna say! It doesn't matter to me...I just like getting feedback! The next chappie will be in Nudge's POV...I have a song for that...but if you guys have any ideas for Gazzy and Angel's songs, they are definitely welcome. (If you have one for Total, let me know that too...I still don't know if I'm going to do him. It'd have to be a killer song choice.) **

**Ciao!**


	4. Guardian Angel

**A/N: I AM SO SORRY! Really, everyone. Very, very sorry. This took _so_ much longer than I had anticipated. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed my story so far! I love you guys! But, good news:now it's up! Finally, I know! Bad news: Gazzy's chappie won't be up for a while, because I'll be gone for a week, starting Sunday. I think I might have lyrics for him, and I'll try to write while I'm gone! Well, without further ado, I give you, Nudge's Chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride. James Patterson, the lucky writer, does.**

**Disclaimer #2: I do not own "When I Come Around". Green Day, one of the best bands of all-time, does. **

**_Gaurdian Angel_**

I was worried for him. I mean, I knew that he liked Max. If only a bit, and, honestly, I had always been a bit jealous that she could get him to like her without trying when I, trying my hardest, couldn't do squat. But now—now Max had Fang. Well, I assumed that they were together. I mean, they kissed at the café, and they were always looking at each other out of the corner of their eyes, and I think the only reason Max went out with that Sam guy was because she saw Fang kissing that Lissa girl and got jealous, and then Fang—but wait. Back to the point: Iggy.

He had stood up and left without any explanation, leaving me, Gazzy, and Angel alone, wondering what the heck was going on. Well, not so much Angel, but she swore herself to secrecy. Gazzy had spent the last ten minutes trying to get something out of her. _Anything._ But she wouldn't budge. Kept saying it was rude; Iggy deserved his privacy.

"You won't tell us because you're afraid he'll get mad at you, right?" I asked, just to make sure. Angel shrugged.

"He doesn't want anyone to know," she replied evasively.

"Okaaaaay…" I said, thinking aloud as I often did, "Is it about Max? Or Fang? Or—" I paused to giggle, "Or Max _and_ Fang? Or is it something else?" Angel shook her head. I sighed.

"Fine. I'm gunna go find him. Stay here," I decided. Then, slipping silently off the couch, I ducked and high-tailed it as quietly as I could to the kitchen.

Of course Iggy still heard me. But not before I heard him.

Silent tears made their way down his super-pale cheeks, dripping down his chin and onto the tiled floor.

"Oh," I whispered dumbly. Iggy spun around immediately, his hand moving up to gracefully flick the tears out of sight.

_I heard you crying loud,  
all the way across town  
You've been searching for that someone,  
and it's me out on the prowl  
As you sit around feeling sorry for yourself  
Don't get lonely now  
Dry your whining eyes _

"Oh," he whispered back, "Is right. Nudge, what are you doing here?" I caught the annoyance in his tone and winced. _He hates me,_ I thought miserably.

"I-I'm just—I m-mean, I was just…uh…coming in to, uh, ch-check—on you," I stuttered out. His eyes hardened. _He hates me, _I thought again, forcing back the waterworks. _Both of them love her and hate me._

_  
I'm just roaming for the moment  
Sleazin' my back yard so don't get so uptight  
you been thinking about ditching me _

He hated me and now he was going to sit in his room, crying about Max. His _real_ love.

"I'm leaving," I stated plainly without thinking. Then, I turned on my heel and headed back towards the living room.

"Wait," he said suddenly, "Nudge, wait. Just…hold on a second." I turned back to face him slowly. He sighed.

"Nudge, what's up?" He cocked his head in my direction, and even though his eyes were now sightless, they were fixed intently on my face. I flushed, glad he couldn't see it.

"It's creepy—how you can know exactly where people are," I started. He smiled a toothy grin.

"Well, I gotta know where things are if I'm gunna survive," he said nonchalantly. Then is face hardened once more.

"Seriously, Nudge. What's up?"

"Uh…" I began unsurely. Iggy didn't move a muscle. I took in a deep breath and let out the words in a rush.

"Okay. So I know you like Max, right? And Fang likes Max, too. But Max kind of seems to like Fang so I was, you know, wondering if maybe you could…like me?" Iggy's eyes widened. I almost slapped myself for how stupid and pleading I had sounded.

"Uh…Nudge…I—"

"Nevermind," I cut him off sharply, "I'll be in my room." With that, I turned sharply and stormed across the kitchen towards my room, barely registering the way Max and Fang had sprang apart, embarrassed and confused, eyes flicking from me to Iggy in uniform awkwardness. _  
_

_  
No time to search the world around  
Cause you know where I'll be found  
When I come around _

I slammed my door behind me, not caring that the entire flock would soon be coming to try and cheer me up. It didn't matter what they did. Fang loved Max. _Iggy_ loved Max. She was just so damn _lovable._ I stopped my train of thought. No. I wouldn't become a bitter third-wheel. I wouldn't hate Max. She was our leader, after all. The reason I was still alive. I wasn't naïve enough to take her for granted. To wish her away. I just wish—why did everyone love her so much?

"Nudge?" I looked up to the unexpected voice, stunned. _How had he snuck in so silently?_

"Just go away, Iggy," I muttered, turning my head away from him.

"Nudge," he said more firmly, "Nudge, I-I'm sorry. Really and truly, I am." I just shook my head, eyes still downcast.

"Save it, Iggy. I don't care." It wasn't true, but I could pretend it was._  
I heard it all before  
So don't knock down my door  
I'm a loser and a user so I don't need no accuser  
to try and slag me down because I know I'm right  
So go do what you like  
Make sure you do it wise _

"Nudge. Please, don't be like this. You were right, okay? I do—_did—_like Max. But it would never work. Fang understands her. He's what she needs, not me. I'm just the blind younger brother," Iggy explained somewhat sadly. My head shot up.

"Iggy," I whispered, "You're not just the blind younger brother to _me._" Iggy sighed and came to sit beside me on my bed. How he knew where it was was beyond me.

"I know, Nudge. But I can't be more than you're blind _older_ brother," he said gently. I cast my eyes downward once more. And, for once, I said nothing. I just let the tears fall.

_You may find out that your self-doubt means nothing  
was ever there_

Iggy heard me crying, of course, and a horrified expression crossed his face. He brought up his hand, flawlessly finding my face, and wiped away a few of the droplets.

"I'm your friend, Nudge. I'll be your protector, too. Isn't that enough?" he asked. I looked up at him, a weak grin playing on my lips.

"Yeah, Ig. That's enough. For now, and forever." I wrapped my arms around him, hugging his tall frame tightly. He hugged me back. My protector. My Guardian Angel.

_You can't go forcing something if it's just  
not right  
No time to search the world around  
Cause you know where I'll be found  
When I come around  
When I come around _

**A/N #2: For those of you who don't read my first A/N, let me reitterate. (Or, better yet, READ IT!) I'll be gone for a week...so Gazzy's Chapter will take a while. _ALSO..._if anyone has anymore song suggestion, please let me know! Once again, sorry for the wait! R&R!**


	5. The Leader of AntiPDA

**A/N: I haven't updated this in forever...um...**

**I don't own MR. Or this song. **

"_**Shut-Up and Smile"**_

_**By: Bowling for Soup**_

**Gazzy POV**

"Shhh! Shh!" Angel giggled, "Don't say that so loud!"

_**It's not the end of the world  
In fact its not even the end of the summer  
But thank god the TV is on  
'Cause there's no way we could know**_

"Like they don't already _know_," I snorted, rolling my eyes. I mean, come on. It was pretty obvious…after Angel told me.

_**Anything that's goin' down**_

But it's not like I _couldn't_ have figured it out. If I'd wanted to know, you know? I mean, I'm just as smart as everyone else. Maybe even smarter. Do you see Nudge helping Iggy make bombs? _Noooo._ Do you even see Max or Fang helping? Y-_no._ I figured that those things were pretty complicated, right? So I must be pretty smart to be able to help him. Not smarter than Iggy, but smarter than everyone else. And strong too. Max always told me I was her little trooper. I may be little, but at least I've still got the "trooper" part, right? Which means I can take care of my sister, like big brothers are supposed to. And _that_ means that I can't let Max and Fang get too…into it…

For Angel's sake, mostly, but I don't think _anyone_ wants to see _that, _anyway.

_  
__**Or how were supposed to be feeling about it**_

"Stay here," I told her, and she nodded, "And _don't_ read anyone's mind. Okay?"

She nodded again, less enthusiastically. I shrugged, knowing that I wouldn't get any more assurance. Then, as quietly as I could, I got up and followed the murmuring of voices to the kitchen.

_  
__**I can't tell you how much I wish we could shut up and smile, yeah**_

_**Sail around the world and tell them all to keep singing it  
La la la la la la  
All we need's a harmony and we'll convince the world to sing  
La la la la la la  
Throw your arms around someone **_

_**(Throw your arms around someone)**_

_**Maybe spread a little love  
I know it sounds a little dumb **_

_**(Or maybe I'm a little drunk)  
But all we need is some ice cream and a hug**_

I got there just in time to see the end of Max and Fang's make-out—_yuck_—and to see Nudge, who was the one who had stopped it (Hallelujah), running across the kitchen tiles towards her room. Iggy stood on my right, and I thought I caught a few muttered swear words before he took off to follow her. So I was left to stare at Max and Fang in disgust as they untangled themselves from one another. Don't tell anyone, but I wouldn't have missed it for the world; their faces when they saw that the entire flock, minus Total and Angel, had seen them were _priceless. _I'd never seen Fang blush before, but, by God, was his face_ red._

_Note to Self: Embarrass Fang more often._

_**Take a good look around  
Does life really suck  
Are we just complaining**_

"G-Gazzy!" Max stuttered. I giggled a bit at the shocked look on her face. Her eyes were so wide; we could've used them as dinner plates. And we ate _a ton. _

"Hi, guys. Having a good time?" I asked conversationally. Fang's face was cooling back to its normal impassive state, but Max still looked flustered.

"I—uhm…we…were…I…he...and then…" she choked on her words.

"Well, now you know," Fang said calmly. I rolled my eyes, noting with amusement the open-mouthed gape Max was looking at him with.

"Everyone _already_ knew. So don't worry about it, Max." She shut her mouth._  
__**  
I hope that this mic is on **_

_**(Testing 1, 2)  
'Cause I'm on a roll here**_

"And everyone's happy for you guys, and stuff. Even Nudge and Iggy, once they get over whatever they're going through." Max looked at me, her beet-red complexion fading in the shadow of her curiosity.

_**I hope this is making some sense**_

"Nudge and Ig—"

"I was just wondering if you two could, you know, for our sakes, try to keep it less lovey-dovey and more G-rated?" I went on, not feeling the need to explain for my fellow flockmates._**I hope that you'll throw up your hands and sing it**_

"O-oh…I—I thought—" Max started.

"Okay. Whatever," Fang interrupted. Max sighed, rolling her eyes in exasperation.

"Is it Interrupt Max Day? Did I miss that memo?" We all laughed.

_  
__**And tell all the haters that they should just shut up and smile, yeah  
**_

When the laughter subsided, Max made to go after Iggy and Nudge, but I beat her to it. Thank God. They didn't need to hear from her on top of everything else. Iggy didn't need that. Nudge didn't need to be reminded.

Sometimes it pays off to know these things, via little-sister-mind-reader, of course.

Hel—I mean—heck. It _always _does.

"I'll go get Nudge and Iggy! Okay! Bye!" I left the lovebirds dumbfounded.

_  
__**Sail around the world and tell them all to keep singing it**_

_**L**__**a la la la la la  
All we need's a **__**harmony**__**and**__**we'll**__** convince the world to sing  
La la la la la la**_

_**Throw your arms around someone **_

_**(Throw your arms around someone)  
Maybe spread a little love  
I know it sounds a little dumb **_

_**(Or maybe I'm a little drunk)  
But all we need is some ice cream  
**_

Why did I always enter right as it got mushy? Iggy and Nudge were having a hug-fest on her bed when I opened the door. Only, this was more brother-sister, and less I-love-you-so-let-me-suck-your-face-off. Yeah. That's it.

They didn't seem embarrassed to see me. Actually, the opposite. Iggy stood up and enveloped me in a bear hug, Nudge closing in from the other side, fast. I managed to wriggle away before too much damage was done.

"Whoa! Can't we just…I dunno…have dessert instead? I'm tired of all this gooey share-the-love-through-touch stuff," I whined. I know, I know. Way to ruin a moment. But I was hungry (…again), and this was way too much Hallmark and not enough flock, if you asked me.

_  
__**All we need is love and beer  
And old school metal and holiday cheer  
To be happy  
(All you need is someone near)**__  
__**Like Ben and Jerry  
(To hold you close and pretend that they care)**_

Can we all just, get along now  
We found something that we all have in common now  
We can hold hands, do keg stands  
Water skiing sounds great to me now

So we ended up sitting around the table once again, passing around a few boxes of chocolate chip Ben and Jerry's ice cream, talking about normal things, like TV, and flying. Okay, so it wasn't super normal, but for us, it was a step in the right direction. _**Sail around the world and tell them all to keep singing it  
La la la la la la  
All we need's a harmony and we'll convince the world to sing  
La la la la la la  
Throw your arms around someone **_

_**(Throw your arms around someone)  
Maybe spread a little love  
I know it sounds a little dumb **_

_**(Or maybe we're a little drunk)  
But all we need is some ice cream and a hug  
**_

Angel squeezed my hand under the table. I smiled at her, and she grinned back. For a moment, at least, the world seemed like it could be okay. Like we—all of us, as a flock—would survive. Live. Live, and be okay.

_  
__**All we need is some ice cream and a hug  
All we need is some ice cream and a hug  
All we need is some ice cream and a hug**_


End file.
